Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper leave their positions

[Nashy]

The National Rugby League has today advised of a leadership restructure for NRL refereeing which will see co-coaches Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper leave their positions.The appointment of a new NRL Referees Elite Performance Manager will be made in coming weeks and will lead in turn to a restructuring of other senior positions.
Former Test referee Russell Smith will assume the role of Interim Manager of the NRL Referees Department and will assist the NRL General Manager of Football Operations, Mr Nathan McGuirk, in finalising the make-up of the 2013 squad.

http://www.nrl.com/nrl-announces-referee-restructure-/tabid/10874/newsid/70298/default.aspx

 

[Porthoz]

Definitely great news to see the back of those two, not because I doubt their knowledge, but because the refs performances went from bad to worse under their watch!

I'm wondering who will be willing to take on this hot potato...

 

[vertigo]

They had to go, refereeing was abysmal this season.

Go back to one ref and use some common bloody sense in the video ref box.

 

[Kimlo]

"Leave their positions". More like sacked.

 

[Browny]

Jumped before they were pushed

 

[Coxy]

Yes, just like Scott Prince is "seeking a release"...we're not stupid, we all know when someone's being given the tap on the shoulder.

As for referee's boss, I'd like to see Brian Smith take charge. He always had a really strong mind for taking advantage of the rules so I think he'd be a good one to help the referees enforce the rules and look for that kind of practice.

He also wouldn't pander to the princesses in pink.

 

[Big Pete]

Had to happen.

Now they need to revise the rules and simplify them so everyone is on board.

 

[Kaz]

They should have been sacked before they got rid of Gallop.

 

[Kaz]

Russell Smith has been named Interim Manager of the NRL Referees Department and will assist NRL operations manager Nathan McGuirk, in finalising the make-up of the 2013 referees squad.

I am lost for words.

 

[Broncoman]

Good news. The standing of referring was poor this year and some of the decisions handed out were some of the worst calls i've ever seen. Good step in the right direction.

 

[GCBRONCO]

I'm shocked they didn't go to the video ref for the decision.

 

[subsbligh]

I'm shocked they didn't go to the video ref for the decision.

Nah, would have got the benefit of the doubt for sure and stayed on

 

[GCBRONCO]

Nah, would have got the benefit of the doubt for sure and stayed on

Probably right, the only questionable thing is the grounding, but seeings he lost total control of it and travels forward, makes contact with the ground first then comes in contact with his torso the decision was never in question.

 

[fredie]

They should have been sacked before they got rid of Gallop.

Hollywood Harrigan might take Gallops job

 

[Alec]

The standard of refereeing this year was arguably worse than the standard of living in North Korea. Thank god. Now we just need someone competent, with balls of steel to go along with it.

 

[Fozz]

Hollywood Harrigan might take Gallops job

I'm not sure a former referee and policeman is going to have the business experience to be the CEO of a multi million dollar business.

 

[Coxy]

He has experience. He was CEO of oztag................. Bahahahaha